Recruitment and retention resources

2.3. Large scale recruitment projects

Such projects take time to plan and organise, however they do achieve results. Projects fall into two broad categories. Either a single large event with follow-up or lots of small local events, supported and publicised centrally. People (both ringers and new recruits) really enjoy taking part in something “big”. A belief that they can make a difference is a strong motivator.

Single large-scale recruitment event

• Requires strong centralised leadership and organisation.
• Existing ringers will want to take part – because it is so different.
• Builds a strong regional team – use ringers non-ringing skills.
• Provision of good bell handling tuition for new recruits.
• Create on-going training programme from rounds to method ringing.
• Balance belonging to a tower/band with benefits of group learning.
• Project starts with the recruitment event(s) and is long-term.

Many small-scale recruitment events

• Requires centralised vision and back-up ideas/support.
• Existing ringers will want to take part – because it is for their own tower.
• Provision of good bell handling teachers in each tower.
• Requires on-going training programme from rounds to method ringing.
• Balance belonging to a tower/band with benefits of group learning.
• Project starts with the vision and is long-term.

The Big Ring Pull

The Big Ring Pull in Milton Keynes was successful in recruiting 38 new ringers and teaching them intensively to Learning the Ropes Level 1. Of these new ringers 55% are still ringing two years later.

The Taunton Branch

Following a recruitment campaign in 2011, the Taunton Branch was successful in recruiting 75 new recruits and teaching 51 of them to reach the stage where they could ring rounds and ring up and down, so that they could join the Association. Most of there are still ringing two years later, and there is a steady stream of further recruits coming forward.

Many small recruitment projects

It started with a ringing census and a working party pulling together lots of examples of successful recruitment projects. This was followed by a presentation and discussion at the Branch AGM which got everyone talking and raring to go. Everyone started recruiting! Within six months three silent towers were ringing again with brand new bands and other towers had augmented their existing bands with new recruits! Now a second generation of recruitment activity is taking place with those who observed the success of the first round replicating what they saw at new towers.